The present invention relates to fixtures which can affix a surfboard to a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for affixing a surfboard to a vehicle roof rack. The present invention relates further to carriers for allowing a person to carry a surfboard. Since the present carrier assembly has usefulness for carrying a wide variety of small watercraft, for purposes herein the term “surfboard” is intended to be interpreted extremely broadly to include any small watercraft that can be operated in the surf including paddleboards, boogie boards, canoes and kayaks.
Surfboards are very popular for carrying out water sports upon the ocean and other bodies of water. Unfortunately, surfboards are very bulky and difficult to transport. Typically, they are too large to fit into a traditional vehicle and are often times too big to fit into the back of a standard pickup truck. For this reason, various apparatuses have been developed for carrying surfboards upon a vehicle. The most common apparatus utilizes the traditional vehicle roof rack which includes a pair of laterally extending cross bars which extend across the vehicle's roof. A surfboard is typically placed upon the rack and then affixed to the cross bars using straps or ropes. Preferably, these racks include some sort of padding to minimize any sort of damage to the surfboard. Though straps and ropes are low cost, they can be cumbersome and time consuming to use.
For this reason, a wide variety of more complicated apparatuses have been developed for affixing a surfboard to a vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,157,110 describes a roof rack including laterally extending cross bars having slots for receiving various objects such as fishing poles. Unfortunately, the apparatus is cumbersome and still requires straps or the like for affixing a surfboard to the apparatus. Similarly, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0121800 describes a carrier assembly for carrying water sports equipment upon the roof of a vehicle. Unfortunately, the carrier assembly is extremely complicated including locking cams and arcuate members which would make the assembly unduly expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,535 illustrates a more simplistic assembly including a bag having straps capable of synching down upon the periphery of a surfboard. The bag is then affixed to the top of the vehicle using straps or the like. Advantageously, the entire bag assembly can be removed from the vehicle and utilized for carrying a surfboard. Unfortunately, even this construction has drawbacks including a complicated strap construction.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved ring assembly for affixing a surfboard to the roof of a vehicle.
There is also a need for an improved carrier assembly that is capable of being affixed to the roof of a vehicle which also allows a person to carry a surfboard, such as from their vehicle to a body of water.